Earlier quoted context omitted.
Every time something like this happens, people point out that gas powered cars catch fire much more often than electric ones. Quote: "That’s five fires for every billion miles traveled, compared to 55 fires per billion miles traveled in gasoline cars." So why don't I want to own an electric car? Because my assumption is that the typical electric car fire happens while it is being charged, whereas the typical gas-powe…
I knew a guy growing up who's gas car caught fire in his garage while it was parked and burned it down. I think your assumptions about when and how different kinds of cars catch fire are wrong.
An anecdote is a data point, but it's only one, and I've got my own.
I have seen a car on fire by the side of the road, and I've also owned a car with a history of recalls for issues with the fuel injection that caused fires for some owners. I've also heard of (read about) people who had fires that started under the hood while driving.
Another point is that while sometimes old cars have messed up wiring either because of design issues or amateurs messing with it, on the whole, I'm more confident it's still working as designed than my home, especially when I'm driving something in the 0-10 year range.
My home will be used indefinitely, and I don't know for sure what people may have done to the wiring over several decades before I lived in it. But I've seen some stuff.